The blitz that broke a season

Miami (OH) quarterback Austin Boucher said he couldn't believe
NIU blitzed two players on the play that ended the Huskies' MAC
Championship dreams.

On second down, with no timeouts in the last minute of the game,
the RedHawks lined up with three receivers wide. To Boucher's
right, Armand Robinson, who had 13 catches for 143 yards at that
point, lined up in the slot.

NIU cornerback Rashaan Melvin lined up on top of Robinson, and
with cornerback Patrick George out wide in man coverage on another
receiver, the Huskies defense clearly showed a Cover 1 with only
safety Tommy Davis running deep coverage.

With Melvin lined up across from Robinson, one would figure that
you would want to run him in man coverage on the receiver who has
been slicing your secondary up like deli meat.

Instead, Melvin blitzed, along with the same-side linebacker
Devon Butler, which left Robinson more lonely downfield than a nun
in a brothel.

Boucher couldn't believe both Melvin and Butler blitzed, and
neither could anybody watching the game.

After watching the play over and over, it's still the most
head-scratching decision NIU's coaching staff made all season.
Whether it was head coach Jerry Kill's decision, or the call came
from defensive coordinator Tracy Claeys, one thing is certain:
Whoever made the call to blitz Melvin and Butler single-handedly
lost NIU the MAC Championship.

There were a number of missed opportunities for the Huskies
earlier in the game that would have changed the entire atmosphere -
Nathan Palmer's missed catch, Martel Moore's fumble - but you coach
to the current situation. You make calls to the current
situation.

You don't blitz two players who would be otherwise responsible
for covering the other team's star receiver, regardless of the fact
that he's been beating your secondary since the day he was
born.

It's a boneheaded call. Pop Warner coaches know not to make that
call at the end of a game.

In the end though, it seems like fate. After 2003, 2005 and now
Friday night, one can't help but feel like NIU will never win
another MAC Championship. The Huskies' football program seems to be
perennial lawn chairs: always folding under pressure.